_Aegialitis hiaticola_, the Ringed Plover, Sand-Lark, or Stone-runner, mistakenly called the "Ring Dotterel," which is common on the British coasts and even inland, extends from Smith's Sound eastwards to Bering Strait, and migrates to South Africa, North India, or accidentally, Australia. It breeds as far south as the Atlantic Islands, North Africa, and Turkestan. The plumage is light brown, with white forehead, post-ocular streak, upper neck, alar bar, outer rectrices, and under surface; the crown, lores, cheeks, and a collar–broader in front–being black. The young lack the black crown. The habits and "peeping" cry hardly require description. When nesting on the warrens of the Eastern Counties it is called the Stone-hatch, because it there lays its black-spotted drab eggs in a hole paved with small stones. _Ae. curonica_, the Little Ringed Plover, which strays to Britain, the Färoes, and Iceland, breeds on inland waters from Scandinavia to Japan; reaching southwards to North Africa, Turkestan, and China, and on migration to the Gaboon, Mozambique, Ceylon, and New Guinea. It is distinguished from the last species by the shafts of all the primaries, except the outer one, being dusky. _Ae. cantiana_, the Kentish Plover, which still nests in Kent and Sussex, occupies Europe–though very locally–North Africa, and Central Asia to China and Japan; it comparatively seldom breeds inland, and is found in winter as far as South Africa, India, and Australia. The collar is incomplete in front, the female has no black crown, while the black legs distinguish it from {274}the Ringed Plover. _Ae. semipalmata_, with a distinct web between the outer and middle toes, replaces the latter in North America, ranging in winter to Peru and Brazil; whereas _Ae. placida_ represents it in China, Japan, and India. The place of the Kentish Plover is taken in western North America by _Ae. nivosa_–with white lores instead of black–which migrates to Chili. _Ae. vocifera_, termed "Kill-deer" from its cry, inhabits North America, and extends in winter to northern South America, while it has been shot even in the Scilly Islands; the lores are brown, and the fore-neck exhibits two black bands. It nests in the interior on grass or ploughed fields. In _Ae. monachus_ of Southern Australia, the breeding male has a perfectly black head; in _Ae. asiatica_ of Central Asia, which has wandered to Britain, the head is brown, and the breast shews a black-edged chestnut band, somewhat similar to that in _Ae. bicincta_ of the Australian Region, and other species; _Ae. bifrontata_ of Madagascar has grey lores, and two black bands on the breast. Space fails to mention all the species of this large three-toed genus; but _Ae._ (_Thinornis_) _novae zealandiae_ of the New Zealand area, _Ae. falklandica_ of America from Chili and Argentina southwards, and _Ae. sanctae helenae_, the "Wire-bird" peculiar to St. Helena, should be noticed.